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Weapon Speed & Initiative WEAPON SPEED Weapon Speed Factors1 of 13 to 1 is how fast a weapon can be wielded... Faster weapons can occasionally be swung a 2nd or 3rd time in one melee round. Common Examples: 13: Pike, Awl (Only one attack possible) 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 13 - - - - - 7 - - - - - 1 3 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 12 - - - - - 6 2 13 - - - - - - - - - - 2 2 11 - - - - - 5 2 12 - - - - - - - - - - 1 2 10 - - - - - 4 2 11 Speed of 10 1 9 - - - - - 3 2 10 1 8 - - - - - 2 2 Speed of 5 7 - - - - 1 2 10:Bill-Guisarme,Guisarme-Voulge, Two Handed Sword 6 1 5:Long Composite Bow, Horseman’s Military Pick, Long & 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Broad Swords, Bastard Sword used with one hand... 13 - - - - - - - - - 3 2 12 - - - - - - - - - 2 2 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 11 - - - - - - - - - 1 2 13 - - - - 8 - - - - 3 3 10 1 12 - - - - 7 - - - - 2 3 9 1 11 - - - - 6 - - - - 1 3 Speed of 9 8 1 10 - - - - 5 2 9:Bardiche,Bec deCorbin,Glave-Guisarme,Halberd,Lucern 9 - - - - 4 2 Hammer, Partisan 8 - - - - 3 2 7 - - - 2 2 Speed of 4 6 - - - - 1 2 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 5 1 13 - - - - - - - 5 2 4: Hand Axe, Club, Hammer, Scimitar, Quarter Staff, Short 12 - - - - - - - 4 2 Bow 11 - - - - - - - 3 2 10 - - - - - - - 2 2 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 9 - - - - - - - 1 2 13 - - - 9 - - - 5 - - - 1 4 Speed of 8 8 1 12 - - - 8 - - - 4 3 8:Fouchard Fork, Glaive, Guisarme, Lance from Heavy 11 - - - 7 - - - 3 3 Horse, Long Spear, Spetum, Long Trident 10 - - - 6 - - - 2 3 9 - - - 5 - - - 1 3 8 - - - 4 2 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 7 - - - 3 2 13 - - - - - - - 5 2 6 - - - 2 2 12 - - - - - - - 4 2 Speed of 3 5 - - - 1 2 11 - - - - - - - 3 2 4 1 10 - - - - - - - 2 2 3: Bo Stick, Short Sword 9 - - - - - - - 1 2 Speed of 7 8 1 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 7: Battle Axe, Footman's Flail or Pick or Mace, Medium 13 - - 10 - - 7 - - 4 - - 1 5 Spear or Trident, MorningStar, Military Fork or Pick, Lance 12 - - 9 - - 6 - - 3 4 from a light horse, 11 - - 8 - - 5 - - 2 4 10 - - 7 - - 4 - - 1 4 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 9 - - 6 - - 3 3 13 - - - - - - 6 2 8 - - 5 - 2 3 12 - - - - - - 5 2 7 - - 4 - - 1 3 11 - - - - - - 4 2 6 - - 3 2 10 - - - - - - 3 2 5 - - 2 2 9 - - - - - - 2 2 Speed of 2 4 - - 1 2 Speed of 6 8 - - - - - - 1 2 3 1 7 1 2: Dagger, Jo Stick 6:Long Bow, Mace; Short Spear or Trident, Horseman’s Flail, Lance on light horse, Bastard Sword - two handed 1: Fist or Open Hand (Every other round - up to 7 attacks) 11st Edition Players Handbook pg 38 Page 1 of 2 ©110587 rev102603 WEAPON SPEED In melee combat there is enough time to make multiple attacks; An empty hand or fist can strike every other melee segment; 1 segment between strikes; That is a weapon speed of 1. A mace has a speed of 6; in combat it takes 6 segments between strikes. If a character has initiative higher than 7, they will have enough time to get a second strike in. Initiative is a random order of battle; Attacks of Opportunity may occur allowing an attack sooner than the random initiative. ATTACKS OF OPPORTUNITY: If an opportunity is presented, a character may swing - and then weapon speed is reset for the rest of the melee round. Example: Rebelace rolls an initiative of 8. With his short sword (speed of 3) he can swing on 8, and again at 4. On 10 his opponent turns away and gives him an attack of opportunity. Rebelace can swing on 10, and his initiative is reset so he can swing again on 6 and on 2. Gertrude has initiative of 7 with her bo stick; She swings on 7 and has another attack on 3. She is given an attack of opportunity when her opponent turns away on 5, so she gets a swing early; and then a third swing on 1. CREATURE SPEED: Since we are using weapon speed it makes sense to start using speed factors for monsters; Monsters and creatures with large claws or weapon like appendages do not have the humanoid "fist" or "open hand" weapon speed of 1. The DM shall use the creatures listed speed as a factor from a base of 10; so a quick monster may get multiple attacks in a round. A Monster with a speed of 6 has an functional 'weapon' speed of 4 (10-6) for weapon less attacks. added 3/23/03 CHANGING WEAPONS MID-BATTLE: If a character drops a weapon in use and draws a second weapon, it takes a minimum of twice the speed of the new weapon to wield it against the same or next available foe. Example: Naimh Doyle fires an arrow at "12" and realizes he needs a magic weapon to strike his foe... he drops his bow to the ground and draws his magic sword (Speed 5). It takes 10 segments to draw & wield the new weapon; Initiative rounds "12" fire bow & drop it... 11,10,9,8,7 draw sword, 6,5,4,3,2 wield weapon, attempt to hit on "1". If he had pulled a dagger (speed 2) it would take 11 & 10 to draw dagger, 9,8 to wield it & attempt to hit on "7", then again on "4" and "1". added 10/26/03 TWO WEAPON ATTACKS: If a character has the ability to fight with two weapons (see prerequisite feats and skills such as ambidexterity) one initiative is rolled for the first action. If an attack is attempted, two "To Hit" rolls are made, one for each weapon. Subsequent attempts, if any, are made based on the two distinct weapons speeds if different. Example: Fighting with sword & dagger; Roll initiative of 8; attack with both weapons on "8", then with dagger on "5", sword on "4" and dagger on "2". added 10/26/03 Page 2 of 2 ©110587 rev102603.
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